"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

* Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law. * Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. * Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights. * Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples. * Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals. * Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not. * Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, President Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. The President will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users.

At the risk of sounding like an Obama fanboy (which i think i am anyways), now that we have a supporter of our rights as Commander in Chief we should take the opportunity to work harder in our communities, create controversy and ultimately move our civilization forward.I don't think we should make the dude solely responsible for the changes we want to see in how we are treated and the rights we should be given, but rather, to view him as a facilitator that will hopefully be there to support us when WE raise these issues to his attention.In other words, it's still our battle, but now we have a very strong ally.

I agree Ikaros. Here is my reply to another post where an RJ member asked when gays will be given their rights by the democrats now that we have a democrat for a President.

Unfortunately, in my opinion we are not going to earn our rights with any less difficulty than it was earned by the Black community. I don't want to suggest that our suffering is equal, but certainly the strategies and struggle to attain equal rights will require the same level of determination. Our rights will be not be given to us, but rather won over by those in the community that are working tirelessly for it.

It took many years of civil rights activity before Abraham Lincoln laid the ground work for freedom in the North, but it took a civil war to force all of America to accept it. Nonetheless, government sponsored injustices in our society continued even up until a very short time ago and were only curtailed through the tireless efforts of the civil rights community. Even today, the remnants of racial injustices continue to cause problems. Gay activism has certainly not had anywhere near the tenure of other civil rights movements. While I hope that it does not take as long to establish gay rights, I am not hopeful that we will attain full equality in the near term.

The President will not be able to enact change from the top down; rather we must fight for change from the bottom up. Change must happen at the state level, and it requires that our community become better organized to make this happen. However, it is extremely important to ensure that our President sets the tone for political discourse. Barack Obama has not only taken the stance that he is in favor of gay rights, he is unafraid to actively and publicly support us. While I would prefer that he fully support gay marriage, there were no candidates in the past election that did. However, amongst other gay initiatives he supports, he does oppose the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, which is in itself quite helpful. An American president does not only illicit change through legislation; he serves an important function in establishing a role model for the country to follow. His desire to maintain a strong and open partnership with the gay community will set the stage for the advancement of gay issues over the next four years.

Definitely. It's gotta be something that has to come from within ourselves as gay individuals.Now, here's the deal:I am not the kind of guy that stands out in the cold with signs... I'm not a protester, an activist or a rioter... I wish I was...Realistically speaking, not very many of us have the balls and the courage to be an outspoken leader, or to be at the front lines of an Equal Rights group.For those of us that due to time constraints, responsibilities, or any other reason can't actively participate in advocating our rights, it is still our moral duty to help this society change.

In my opinion it is very simple: We all must behave morally, ethically, responsibly and civilly. We all need to be compassionate and committed, and develop meaningful, long lasting relationships and friendships. We need to become the hardest workers and the most honest citizens.We need to demonstrate people in our daily dealings with them that we are not stereotypes of banality, excess, perversion and immorality. That we are just people. Great fucking people.Workers and students and friends and neighbors and aquaintances.And that's of course, something we need to do stoically, without announcing it or preaching it.Let your personal example be a testimony to everyone you know that we deserve all these rights and that our fight is just, so that when they think about "Gay rights" they don't think of some stereotype, but they think of you."Ikaros' rights."

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

* Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law. * Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. * Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights. * Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples. * Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals. * Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not. * Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, President Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. The President will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users.

Thank God we have someone on our side now. The last 8 years have been a nightmare for gays. Furthermore, there are people who still fear the "gay agenda" (btw any consevative who uses the words "gay agenda" in one of their diatribes automatically loses all credibility with me, and I tune them out). Although Obama is not for using the word marriage to describe our unions, at least he is willing to give us the full rights and benefits of marriage. I see this as a big step in the right direction. DADT also needs to go. While I will admit that DADT was better than nothing at the time, now is the time for it to die. We are not going to gain full federal rights overnight... and it is kinda sad that we still even have to worry about this in this day and age... but I really feel there is hope for our future. Make us proud Obama!

I used to be a republican, but switched to vote for Obama in the primaries. I don't see any reason to switch back to the GOP for a very long time (at least until they get rid of that evangelical wing). The GOP is still hitting me up for money. Next time I get a fund raising notice from them I am going to send them a note saying

"Until you stop treating me like a second class citizen, you will not see another cent from me".